| Following on from the point earned at Twerton Park, City attempted to continue their turnaround in form (and luck) with a visit to Stamford, the Lincolnshire town that gave us Ciren Pylonsider. |
| The Daniels, as they are known as play at a ground that looks like a cross between Shepshed's Dovecote and Mangotsfield. Thankfully there was none of the well known 'Cossham Street attitude' present while we were there. |
| Their nickname seems rather bizarre to the outsider but a frame with a printed A4 sheet in the clubhouse might shed some light on it. A fat man, called 'Daniels' who after suffering a strange disorder piled on loads of weight and travelled the country as a freak show. He died whilst exhibiting himself in Stamford, hence the nickname. I may be wrong though! |
| Normally I like to try to write these reports from a slightly off-centre point of view, as you'd expect from me being a City fan. Part of this process includes knowing the names of the opposition players. Unfortunately, Mr Tannoy at the Newflame Stadium seemed to be taking part in a speed talking contest as he read out the teams so I don't know many of the Stamford bunch. |
| That said, there was one familiar face among the home team. Dale Watkins, the Peterborough based forward who was the darling of the T-End during the 1996/97 season (before he defected to the dark side of the Golden Valley) now ply's his trade with the Linconshire outfit. However, since joing from Kings Lynn injury has prevented him from kicking a ball in anger. |
I have to say though, it's not an easy trek between Gloucester and Stamford, a journey pretty much exactly the same as Watkins used to make to play for the Tigers. He must've either been commanding a fair wedge or loved driving.
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| City's patched up team included Karl Bayliss starting up front again for the second game running, with Matt Aubrey playing his last game for the club at the heart of defence. After the match Chris Burns suggested that the nineteen year old returns to FGR and tells them that he's a defender and not a striker! |
| The game really wasn't much to write home about. Goalless draws are invariably crap, although that can't be said of the contest between Halesowen and City at the Grove last year. But today lived up to the scoreline. |
| Lee Davis, on a run from midfield found room for a shot from the left edge of the box but could only drag it wide away from the goalkeeper. |
| Gary Butterworth, one of the big names who set the Rushden and Diamonds bandwaggon rolling in the mid nineties had a chance following a foul by Aubrey on the edge of the box. However, his free kick, described as 'clever' by one City fan came to nothing other than an easy stop for Matt Bath. |
| The pitch at the Newflame Stadium was rock hard and Tom Webb had opted for moulded studs, but his boots had seen better days and he had to change halfway through. Look out on ebay for the City midfielders discarded footwear after Noah grabbed them during the break. |
One of the lowlights of Bath's game is when he stands and watches if he thinks he can't get a shot, or if he knows it's going wide. It does nothing us City fans when he does it because for a split second we fear the worst. He did it today with a left footed half volley that flew narrowly past the post.
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| The nearest the Tigers came to scoring in the first half was a combination between Lee Smith and Davis that saw a defender scoop the ball goalwards and the keeper palm it away from under the bar. Other than setting up goal attempts, Smith was having trouble dealing with 'mad dog', the Stamford number two. Their man was either brave or stupid as he exchanged words with City boss Burns but was wise enough to decline the invitation to come and take the ball from the City boss after he'd held it for him! |
| Baylo might've added to his cause to reach a hundred goals for the club but his header from Kenny Stiles' cross found the keeper and not the gaping holes either side of him. Stiles did well in his emergency role of left wing back, although I'd rather see him up front than in the slot that Burnsy has used to employ attackers who can't get a game. |
| How Stamford didn't score following a breakaway when Chris Thompson was caught in possession I'll never know. The City man tried to advance over the halfway line but lost the ball and left a gap with three men with just Neil Griffiths for company. As they got into the penalty area, with two men to his left the Stamford striker shot at Bath and was denied by a good save. |
| Lee Smith had a chance just before the break when Stiles fed him but after a run from the centre circle he could only find the keeper with a weak shot. |
| Neil Griffiths didn't appear for the second half thanks to a torn muscle and Chris Burns, still not fit, took his place. It highlighted an alarming sign about the depth of our squad that we had three unfit substitutes in the Gaffer, Keith Knight and Adie Harris. What's happened to Dan Avery and Karl Palmer? |
| Another effort from Baylo at the outset of the second half saw him turn and drill a shot into the side netting but in all honesty his strike never looked as though it was going to trouble the home keeper. |
One effort that did call for goalie Darren Watts was a header from Chris Thompson from a Mustoe corner. The stand in defender rose highest and despaired as the Stamford stopper got a hand to the ball to prevent it flying into the back of the net.
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| Matt Bath had to be alert from a free kick as he parried a shot then held the rebound before his long kick found Jimmy Cox. The City striker found a way inside, passed to Lee Smith and Smith's cross was scuffed goalwards by Lee Davis, but the keeper was equal to the effort. |
| Somehow though City were awarded a free kick, a decision that left most of us bemused and also led to a yellow card for Stamford's mullet headed number eleven Kevin Ainslie, presumably for dissent. Nothing came of the free kick but soon enough the home team had another man booked, this time Ryan Nash for a cynical foul on Kenny Stiles. |
| Karl Bayliss might've done better when he got under Burns' cross and could only clear the bar with his header but at the other end Stamford's Rob Maddox run through City with alarming ease and we had Bath's legs to thank for keeping them down to nil. |
| Veteran midfielder Keith Knight made a welcome return from injury and seemed to get through the last fifteen minutes without incident, however, as there were no incidents in the last fifteen minutes it was no big deal. |
| Mr Tannoy at Chippenham had declared the Bank Holiday Monday game as a great advert for this league, well this game was just the opposite. Lets hope for less of the same in future. |
| For Stamford's sake I hope a fully fit Watkins can add some zip to their side as they'll struggle this season considering that they couldn't get the better of an injury ravaged City side. |
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| Tiger Roar Man of the Match - Karl Bayliss |
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Karl Bayliss
Star Man |
Despite making his Tigers debut more than twelve seasons ago, Karl Bayliss filled in admirably for the injured Andy Hoskins yesterday. Agonisingly close to the magic hundred goal milestone in a City shirt Karl was advised to give up the rough and tumble of non-league football following a series of injuries, but had defied medics to help City out. He didn't put a foot wrong and although he didn't really have many chances the veteran striker put in a star performance.
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